Steam-turbine.



` PATBNTED JULY 30,1907..-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. W. SMITH. STEAM TURBINB. APPLIUATION FILED JAN 12. 1905 JOI-IN W.SMITH, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG NOR TO BALL ENGINE COMPANY, OF ERIE,

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANlr-i.

`STEAM-TUEBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July'o, 1907.

Application tiled January 12,1905. Serial No. 240.750.

- To all rwhom 'it may concern:

lle it known that 1.lonN W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing in Eric, in the county of Erie and State oi Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Turbines, of whichthe l'ollowing is a specification.

This invention relates generically to steam-turbines of that class inwhich the steam is caused to expand several-times and in which thesteam,`at each successive stage of expansion, is caused to impingeagainst the `buckets of the turbine-wheel, and so propel the saineonwardly; the utilization of the energy resident in the steam being suchthat when the steam finally exhausts almost all the energy has beentransformed into useful Work.

lThe invention relates more particularly to improvements to U. S. PatentNo. 7 7 7,313, issued December 125, 1904, to which reference is heremade. i

The invention consists of an improved means of regulating the amount andtension of steam passing through a series ol' gradually increasingchambers and the thereto pertaining buckets, by which regulation thetorque and the speed may be varied Without appreciably influencing theetiiciency.

lhe inventionl consists further of a novel doublebncket to Whiclrsteamis supplied by an admissionchamber common to` the inlet-ends of thisdoublebucket, and from which, after having passed through the buckets,the-steam emanates simultaneously from the two outlet-ends of thedouble-buckets and enters twin release-chambers, from which the steampasses into the adjacent admission-chamber commen to both inlet-ends ol'the next double-bucket.

The invention consists further of a turbine-.wheel proare provided withcut-out portions, and a divisiori-vv'al'lA protruding into thc cut-outportions,forming buckets with the channels, and relatively stationarytothe moving bucket Wl1eel. And the invention consists lastly of certainnovel combinations of parts which will be fully described hereinafterand tinally pointed out in the claims. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a verticallongitudinal central section of my improved steam-turbine, showing ahigh, intermediate and lowprcssurc turbine, and a reversing-tm'bine,all'otI these turbines being connected on one common shalt and euchbcinlgT an axial-How turbine, having double-luickcls, admission-chambcrscommon to both inlet-ends ot' the double-buckets, and twinrelease-chambers lor the outlnt-cndsol' thc buckets, Fig-2 shows avertical-set.'- tion ol' a radial-flow turbine, Fig` 3 isa(.lctail-viewol a llut-kei-construction, Fig'. ll is a detail-view ol'an axialtlow turbine,v`sl'iowing a twin nozzle l'or the doublebucket,Fig. 5 is a detail-view or' an axial-flow turbine, 55 showing rotor andstator buckets, Fig.y 6 is a detail view 01' an axial-flow turbine,having rotor and stator buckets and twin release-chambers, Fig7 isatrend-view of the turbines shown in Fig. l, Fig. b shows a developmentof the circular portion of the steam-turbine, showing clearly thebuckets, the admission-blades, the parti- I tions forming theadmission-chambers, partitions forming the release-chambers, andsteam-regulating valves, and Fig. 9 shows a horizontal section. 0l' Fig.8, taken on line 9--9 0l Fig. 8.

` Similar letters o1' reference indicate corresponding parts. v I

My improved steam-turbine consists oia high, intermediate andlow-pressure turbine, and a reversing-turbine, each of which turbinesconsists ot' a casing pro- 7()v vided with partitions, so as to form aseries of high-pressure, intermediate-pressure,,low-pressure, andreversing-chambers. The chambers of the lirst three mentioned turbinesare so arranged that thc stcannal'tcr passing through the high-pressurechambers and buckets, and having there expended considerable of its cnergy, passes into the intermediate chambers and buckets, and giving upsome furth'er part ol its energy, passes into the low-pressure chambersand buckets, and there expends its remaining energy, so that when itlinally exhausts practically all the available energy originally'resident in the stearnhas been converted to useful Work. Each of theseseries ol chambers is composed of intercomnnlnicating admission andrelease-chainbers, which serve to direct the steam to the buckets,receive the steam from the same, and guide the steam from therelease-chambers again to an ladmission-chamlber to be again by thesaine directed against the sucv'ided with curved channels, the Wallsseparating which". ceeding bucket-s, received by the nextrelease-chronbers and guidedito the nextadmission-chainber in such "away as to cause the steam 'to partake ol a spiral path troni thesteam-inlet to thc steam-outlet.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. l, A designatesthe high-pressure casing, B the intermediate-pressure casing, O thelow-pressure casing, and vD the casing ol' the reversing-turbine. Thesecasings are provided with suitablesupports E, shown in Fig. 6, and intheir central part with openings for the passage of the shaft F on whichthe turbine-wheels Al, B1, Ol and D1 are secured. Between the casings100 A, B and O, diaphragms Gl and G2 are arranged, which i are providedat their central part with journal-infarings for the shalt F. Theset'liapln'agins form airspacesbetween the casings and thereby prevent'any l1eut-translerencefrom one to the other. The turbine- 105 wheels A1,Bl, (l1 and D are provided at their periphoral parts with a plurality ofbuckets U-shape, arranged in pairs, so as to form double U-buckets witha plurality of buckets passes directly into the releasechambers,

The intermediate-pressure, low-pressure, and reversing-tmbines aresimilar in operation-and construction `to the highpressure turbine',exceptingv in size. In the case ofthe reversing-turbine the directionofthe buckets relatively to the radius of `the reA/ersing-tur-` binewheel and the direction of the admissionrblades are reversed indirection tothat of the turbine-wheels ol the forward turbines; so thatwhen the steam .enters the double-buckets of the reversing-turbine, itcauses the shaft of the same to rotate in.an opposite direction to thatof the other turbines.

The high-pressure easing A is provided with a plurality of piston-valvesV, V and V3, in sets of preferably three in number. The cylinder W2 oicach oi these valves is supplied with a pipe W10 tlirough which theactuating-medium entcrs in order to move the piston W". The cylinder W2is provided at its side with a supply inlet-port and at its lower endwith an openingy W.- 'l`he partitions forming the admission andrelense-chambers hcreinbel'ore described are here,

immediately below valves Vl and V2, provided with horizontal portionsN", which are provided with openings W. The piston-rml W, secured at oneend to the piston W5, is provided with two puppet valves W5 and W4, theupper one of which is adapted to close the opening W9 of the lowerv endof the cylinder and the lower one of which is adapted to close theopening W5 oi' the horizontal portion N 5 of the partition-walls. Whenthe piston W5 in its downward position, valve W3 is tree l'rom the lowerend of the cylinder, and so permits the free ingress ol steam, Whilevalve W4 closes the opening W5 and prevents steam from lpassing into therelease-cham])cr immediately below the horizontal portion l\"".

Referringl to Fig. S, valve V2 is shown in its downward position andvalve.`l VI and V3 are shown in their upward position. Hence. steamenters the admission-chanilwr in connnunicntion with' the opening W9 ofthe valve V`' and is guided into the buckets by the adniission-blmlesforming the nozzles, but cannot enler the release-ehnniber, also belowthe Valve V2,

owing to the elosingl ot the opening W8 of the horizontal'v portion V1by the puppet-valve W4. The steam, guided bythe nozzles. passes throughtho buckets and enters the succeeding reltase-chambers, and from thesannpasses through the opening W*5 oll thc horizontal portion N". andinto the next admission-chambcr and thereto pertainingr nozzlesl andbuckets. So, when valve V is in its downward position, steam can onlyenter the admission-chumber below it, vbut cannot enter therelease-elmmber, also below it, and hence, interfere with the operationol' either of the valves V2 or V, 'l`o guide the piston-rod a-perforated projection lV" is provided.

ibo particular aiTangenn-nt oi the valves shown may be modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of signed to work under. When the turbine isoperated S0, also, other forms of valves may be y under idealconditions, a certain number ol' stages are necessary to carry out theproper expansion from a given boiler-pressure to a given vacuum.Supposing the turbine to be designed and constructed with a constantinitial and` terminal pressure and togive its.

normaloutput when valve V2 is solely used, then on v opening either`valve Vl or V3 and on closing valve V2 the output will be eitherincreased or decreased. When opening valve Vl with the other valvesclosed, an output above the normal will be attained, inasmuch as alarger amount ol steam is admitted, and as this steam is sul'ijected toone stage of expansion less than vwhen using valve V2. On the otherhand, on closing valves Vl and V2, and on opening valve V, a 8o smallerquantity of steam is permitted to enter, and the steam must undergo onestage of expansion more than when valve Vl is used and two stages morethan when valve V3 alone is used. The steam in this last named casebeingv subjected to more stages of expansion, the final tensionisdecreased and the vacuum of the condenser increased, inasmuch as steamof a lower tension enters the same. The effect of this will be to makeroom for another stage of expansion. Hence, with a slight increase ofvacuum, the range ol' expansion may 95 be increased one whole stage, andonaccount thereof the turbine operated at a high efficiency at loadsbelow the normal, o1' at comparatively light loads.

For overload conditions, when using valve V, the

complete expansion of the steam is not attained, as l0()l there is not'a suicient number of stages, and as there is some loss in the form ofresidual velocity. This residual velocity is not, however, sufficient toconstitute an increase in the number of stages of expansion and variesin amount, depending on the design of the turbine. On using valve V1,lthe torque and speed of the turbine are greatly increased, accompaniedby but a slight lowringof the etiiciency, depending, as mentioned, onthe residual velocity of the steam. The

speed of the steam passing through the buckets is also v increased, sothat in order to attain the highest eliti- 'cieney it would be necessaryto have the angles of the buckets correspond to the increased angularvelocity 4ofthe turbine-Wheel. Hence, by using valve V2 a nor- "maloutput, speed and torque are obtained, while on using valve V3 theoutput, torque and speed are decreased, and on using valve V1 thesefactors are increased. i

To form connection between the high, intermediate and low-pressurecasings, pipes P are provided, which connect the last of a series ofhigh-pressure releasechambers with the irst .of a series ofintermediate-pressure admission-chambers and the last of a series ofintermediate-pressure release-chambers with the first ol a series oflow-pressure admission-chmuliers. Suitable outlet-openings or flanges Oare provided to permittlie exhaust of the steam, now substantiallydevoid ol' en-y ergy, into the atmosphere or cond uct the saine to asnit- Vable condenser. The tnrbine-wheels of the individual turbines areprovided with holes S, which permitpthe passage oi steam from one sideoi the wheel to the other,

so as to prevent any unequal pressure, due to a greater collection oisteam on one 'side than on thefother.

It is usual in marine engineering to distribute the power necessary`*for propelling boats between three 'propeller-shafts in case of atriple-screw boat. In such a case the'high-pressure turbine is connected'with the middlepropeller-shaft and generates about one-third oi theenergy, and the lowpressure turbines are conneet-ed With each ol theremaining shafts. vSuitable pipes'conduct the steam, ai'ter having doneits Work in the high-pressure turbine, to the Alow-pressure tur bines.When maneuvering, the high-pressure turbine may be put out oi,action andhigh-pressure steam admitted directly to .the low-pressure turbines, inwhich case the lowpressure turbines are provided with separatecontrolling valves, and the various ranges of speed o the side shaftsobtained, thus causing one side turbine to run at a greater speed thanthe other. By providing lthe low-pressure turbine-shafts each with 'areversing-turbine, the latter may be actuated and so its shaft rotatedin a reverse direction to that oi the other side-shaft. i ,n l vSuitable vpiping is connected directly to the main supply-pipe Y andingr-pressure' steam admitted by pipe P2 to 'suitable reducing-valves P?and Ps directly to the low-pressure casings or directly to thereversingturbine casing. l

With a slight loss of efficiency flue to leakage and heat-transierence,it is practical in the improved spiral system of handling the steam tocarry out the whole rangepof expansion vfrom boiler-pressure to amoderate vacuum comprising several reductions in pressure and.A

velocity, for which reason 'only one wheel ior running a turbine inopposite direction Ais shown.

The improved means of regulation permits one turbine to befused forhandling loads varying from overload to less than normal withoutdecreasing the eiiieiency of the turbine; while for marine uses thismeans overcomes the main objection hitherto had to turbinesiorpropelling ships. l

The before-described iorm of buckets used in conv nection withsteam-chambers of gradually-increasing size, by which the expansionofthe steam is utilized to the-fullest extent and nearly ail the energyinitially resident in the steam transformed into useful Work1 resultswhen allowing -ior the inherent losses by mechanical iriction, eddycurrents, condensation and watermeehanically entrained,i in asteam-turbine of the highest obtainable efficiency. 'I

Having thus describedmy invention,4 I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

l. A turbine-wheel provided with curved channels, and a divlsorbwall,protruding into the channels, forming buckets therewith, and relativelystationary to the moving,r turbine wheel.

2. A iurbinewheel provided-with double U-shsped chnn nels,division-walls adapted to form buckets with each of the lchannels, sothat nach bucket has its lnletend atene sidepf euch division-wailbelonging thereto, and its outleteml at the other sident the suino, theinlet-ends of the channels forming the ydoubhl U-shnped channels boingin proximity to each other.

3. A turbine wheel provided-with double U-shaiiedchann'els,division-walls adapted to form buckets with euch of f the channels, andrelatively stationary to the moving turbine wheel, so thatreach buckethas its inlet-end at' one side of each division-wall belonging thereto,and its outletend at the other side of the same.l f

4. A steam turbine, comprising a turbine wheel provided with doubleU-shaped channels, division-walls adopted to form buckets with thechannels, so that each bucket'has its inlet end atene side of eachdivision-wall and i'tsroutletend at the other side, and means to guidethe steam in two spiral paths, each path meeting and joining the other,und then again separating preparatory to entering erich of the channelsof each double U-shaped channel.

5. A steam turbine, comprising a casing, a steam inlet"` Afor, the same,a steam outlet for the same, a `turbine wheel provided with a pluralityof double 'ii-'shaped channels, divlsion walls forming bucketswith thechannels, so that euch bucket has its inlet end at one side oicachdivision-wall,z

and its outlet end aft the,other side, the buckets so formed havingtheir inlet end adjacent-each other, o. plural-ity of nozzles adapted todirect the steam into the buckets, and a plurality of partitions in saidcasing dividing the same into admission und twin release chambers, saidpartitions being so arranged as to cause the steam to paltakeofl aspiral path from the steam inlet to the steam outlet in such a mannerthat the steam passes from the admission charnbersinto the nozzles, fromthe same into the inlet. ends of the buckets in which the steam dividesinto two parts, each of which enters one of the twin release chambers,und from the same simultaneously enters the next admission chambei'common to both inlet ends of the buckets, from which it again passesthrough the nozzles, buckets and twin release chambers.

G. A steam turbine, comprising a high pressurev rintermediate pressure,and a 10W pressure casing', steam inlets for i the high pressure casing,steam outlets for: the low pres-v sure casing, a turbine wheelin eachcasing provided with channels, a division-wall forming buckets with thechan nels so that erich bucket has its inlet end on one side ot thedivision-wall and its outlet end at thek other side, a plural- .ity ofpurtitions in each ot saidcasings dividing the same into admission andrelease chambcrstor conducting the stoainin a spiral path successivelyfrom one admission chamber through the buckets into a release chamberand then into the next admission chamber, und steam pipes connecting thehigh, intermediate, und low pressure icasdass.

-7. In a steanrturbine, having a casing, and a turbinewheel havingbuckets, a plurality of steam-inlets communieating with each other andwith the casing. and adapted to vary the degree of rurpuusion of thesteam eute'rinri the buckets, all of said inlets directed against-saidturbine-v 'sion chambers', said steam inlets being adapted to vary the.

degree ot expansion of the steam passing through the buckeis, admissionand release chambers.

10. Av steam turbine, comprising a casing, a turbine wheeei thereinhaving: buckets, a plurality ot intercommunieatiug admission' undrelease chambers, "t plurality o( steam inist. valves controlling thesteam entering the caslug, and a plurality of vnlves'adnpted io preventthe steam from passing from the cliamberin which the inlet valve is opento the adjacent,chamber.v

11. .A steam turbine, comprising a turbine wheel having buckets, aplurality ot intercommunicatlng kadmission und release chumhersgradunllyincreasing in size, u plurality'` oi steam inlets adjacent to euchother, und above the admission and release chambers, vulves forsaidzsteam inlets,

euch of suhl valves being adapted` to regulate the passage oi' the siemnpassing from the steam inlet t'ol'the' admission I chamber and toregulate the 'passage of the steam passing. `from the preceding releasechamber to the aforesaid admission chamber.

12. A steam turbine, comprising a high pressure, inter-A 5 mediatepressure, and a low 'pressure casing, diaphragms between said casings,steam inlets for the high pressure casing, steam outlets for thelowpressure casing, a tur"- bine wheel in saidcasing provided with holesand with -buckets and grooves at its circumference. a pluralityof lpartitions in each Acasing dividing the steam into admission and releasechambers for conducting the steam successively from one'hdmissionchamber through the buckets into a release chamber and then into thenext admission chamber, and steampipes connecting the high pressure,

T` intermedia te pressure and low pressure casiugs.

12%. A steam turbine, comprisini.;r a casing, a plurality of ,partitionsin said casing forming admission and releasc "chambers, rings secured tosaid casing, admission blades supported by said rings, a second set ofrings secured to said casina concentric to said first named rings,'theadjacent walls oi said two sets of rings being beveled, and ati11-liine"`v\fl1eel in said casing provided with buckets.

14. A steam turbine, comprising' a casing, a plurality of partitions insaid casing forming vadmission and twin release chambers, a plurality ofnozzles. in communication with said admission chambers, a plurality` ofchannels 4in v said casing, a division Wall forming.,7 buckets with-saidchannels, so that each bucket has its inlet end at one side of thedivision wall and its outlet end at the other side,

the turbine wheel in said casing provided with a plurality of channels,a division wall forming buckets with vsaid channels, so that each buckethas its inlet end at one' side of the division Wall, and its outlet endat the other side. said buckets being so arranged that the steamvpassingr from the nozzles enters the buckets of the turbine wheel,passes from the same into the buckets of the casing, and from thesebuckets into another set of buckets-of the turbine wheel, and from'these into th twin release chambers. A

15. A 'steam turbine, comprising a casing'l'x'aving a plurality ofchannels, a division wall forming buckets with the channels so that eachbucket has its inlet end at one side of the division wall and its outletend at the other side, and a turbine Wheel in said casing having apluralityl of channels, a division wall forming buckets withv thechannels so that each bucket has its inlet end at one side of thedivision wall and its outlet end :1t-the other side, the buckets of theturbine wheel being arranged in series so that the inlet end of-eachbucket is adjacent the outlet 5() ond of the preceding bucketn the inletends of the lst of cach seriesv of buckets being adjacent each other,the buckots of the casing and wheel being so arranged that the out etends of the wheel buckets communicate with the inlet lends of the'casing buckets 16., .A steam turbine, comprising a casing having apluralityi of U-shaped channels, division walls forming buckets with thechannels so that. each bucket has its inlet end at que side o1 eachdivision Wall and its outlet end at the other side, an`d a turbine Wheelin said casing having a p1urality of 'U-shapaed channels. division-Wallsforming buckets with-'the channels, so that each bucket has .its inletend atone side of each division wall, and its outlet end n t the otherside, the buckets of the casing andof the turbine .wheel being soarranged that the outlet ends of the wheel buckets communicate With theinlet ends'of the casingbuckets and the outlet ends of the casingbuckets with the inlet ends` of the next -seriesof wheel buckets.

17. A steam turbine,comprising a casing having a plurality of-1)'-shaped channels, division-walls forming buckets with thcchannels,so that each bucket has its inlet end at one side of'each division-Walland its outlet end at i the other side, and a turbine wheel in saidcasing having a plurality of U-shaped channels, division-walls formingbuckets with thechannels, so that each bucket has its inlet end at oneside of each division-wal`l and its outlet endat the other side, thewheel buckets being arranged in se ries so that the inlet end of eachbucket is adjacent the outlet end of the preceding bucket, the inletends of the first of each series of buckets beingr adjacent each other,l

the buckets of the casing and 'the wheel being so arranged that theoutlet ends of the wheel buckets communicate with vthe'inlet ends of thecasing buckets, and the outlet l with the inlet ends of the next seriesof wheel buckets.

18. A steam-turbine, comprising a high-pressure casing, anintermediate-pressure casing, means connecting the high-pressure casingwith 'a steam supply, means connecting the high-pressure casing with theintermediate-pressure casing, means connecting the last `named casingwith the low-pressure casing, a plurality of intercommunicatingadmission and release vchambers- 4in each of said casings, aturbine-Wheel in each casing, an

additinal reversing turbine-wheel in the low-pressure casing, aplurality of intercommunicatlng admission and fe# lease chambers forsaid reversing turbine-wheel, and means supplying the reversingturbine-wheel with-steam.

In testimony, thatI claim the foregoing as my .invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, A

" JOHN w.sMrrH.

Witnesses:l I I I. V. GIFFonD, v W. J. FARGO.

a low-pressure casing,

